The Spiritual Pivot of Mortal Cultivation

After Su Li accepted Bai Xuanxin, he did not immediately teach him any new techniques.

For the first few days, all he was taught was how to stand.

Stand in a stance, sink your shoulders, lock your hips, lift your spine, gather your ribs, and control your breath.

Again and again, the sun moved from east to west, the fine sand in the backyard was trodden down, and Bai Xuanxin's sweat dried and then became wet again. If others were to look at him, they would probably only think that this newly registered disciple was too "stupid" in his learning, lacking both exquisite techniques and sharp moves, as if he had become a disciple but instead dulled his original sharpness.

But Bai Xuanxin knew best that Su Li wasn't suppressing a move.

It was pressing down on his loose clothes.

He relied on quick eyes, ruthless hands, cunning steps, and meticulousness to get ahead. This approach is excellent for carving out a path in tight spaces. But if he really wants to go higher, into the kind of life-or-death situations where one move determines everything, these things are ultimately just "blades."

No matter how many blades there are, if there is no back of the blade to support them, they are just broken edges.

So what Su Li had him do these past few days was precisely the most crucial and arduous part: to first integrate this body into one.

Bai Xuanxin didn't say a word.

Because he knew that the path ahead, though seemingly slow, was actually the fastest.

On the other side of Shenshou Valley, Mo Juren wouldn't wait for people to slowly grow up; if he were still like he was a few days ago, relying only on a wisp of smoke step and a bone-breaking skill to seek a way to survive, when he actually entered the game, he would most likely be overwhelmed by that old fox's sleeve of cold wind, a breath of poison gas, and a line of hidden weapons before he even saw Qu Hun.

Over the past few days, Bai Xuanxin felt more at ease each night when she returned to her room.

Su Li is indeed extraordinary.

At first, Bai Xuanxin only knew from the bits and pieces of gossip he overheard that this person was probably a powerful figure in the sect. But after practicing in the backyard for the past few days, another thought gradually arose in his mind.

If he remembered correctly, in the later round with Jin Guang Shangren, the ones who were truly able to hold the line for Wang Juechu were those three sect master uncles.

The man in gray robes, taciturn, and rarely making a move or looking around, Su Li, is most likely one of them.

Moreover, it is very likely to be the most troublesome one.

With this thought, Bai Xuanxin felt even more respect for this master.

It's not because of lineage or status.

It was because he knew that whether he could quickly improve his martial arts to the level required to enter the deadly trap of Divine Hand Valley depended largely on this person.

That evening, as the training was about to end, Su Li suddenly spoke:

"Xuanxin, come with me."

Bai Xuanxin immediately stopped his movements, cupped his hands, and replied, "Yes, Master."

The two walked through the side courtyard and entered a small hut at the back.

The room was sparsely furnished: an old couch, a wooden table, an oil lamp, and two narrow-mouthed medicine jars standing against the wall. The lamplight did not illuminate the entire room, but only half of the couch and the corner of the table, leaving the rest in darkness.

Su Li sat down on the edge of the couch, his gray robe half-open, revealing the muscle and bone where his left shoulder met his back. He didn't look up, only saying calmly:

"Since you know a little about musculoskeletal and pharmacological principles, take a look for your teacher."

That's a fair statement.

But Bai Xuanxin felt a slight chill in her heart.

This is not a casual attempt.

This shows that we're looking at him from a deeper perspective.

If Su Li had only regarded him as a potential fighter, she wouldn't have needed to let him touch her old ailment. Now that he had spoken up, it meant that what she had demonstrated in the pharmacy, the side hall, and the backyard these past few days was no longer just something she had "heard was effective."

Bai Xuanxin took half a step forward, but did not immediately reach out. Instead, she carefully examined the object by the light.

Su Li's left shoulder didn't appear to have any major problems. His acromion wasn't collapsed, and his muscles didn't show any obvious weakness. If it were an ordinary person, they would probably just think that someone who had practiced martial arts for many years naturally had tighter shoulders and back than the average person. But Bai Xuanxin only looked for a moment before she understood a few things.

This is not a new wound.

It's an old ailment.

Moreover, it's not an old injury that's just floating on the skin; it's an injury in the thinnest part of the line between the inner side of the shoulder blade and the base of the collarbone. It's fine on ordinary days, but once you have to gather your strength into a very fine point and then push it forward from the shoulder and arm, that area will feel weak for a moment.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, this is due to an injury to the tendons and muscles from an earthquake last year. The tendons and muscles are not completely severed, but they have never fully recovered.

If we look at it from the perspective of what Bai Xuanxin learned in his previous life, it's more like the small muscle groups deep within the scapular stabilization ring were injured in a shock. Although they managed to stay in place for a while, they never truly returned to their original positions. Over time, this caused the entire shoulder and back to suffer in terms of "fine contraction and relaxation."

Bai Xuanxin then respectfully said:

"This disciple dares to ask Master to allow me to give it a try."

Su Li simply hummed in agreement.

Bai Xuanxin stepped forward and lightly placed her fingertips on the area where the tendons and bones intersected behind her shoulder.

First, probe down the well.

Press the inner edge of the scapula.

Finally, following the direction of that old wound, I touched it all the way down to below the base of my collarbone before stopping.

Bai Xuanxin pressed this set of buttons very steadily and slowly.

The room was very quiet, with only the occasional soft popping of the lamp wick.

After a moment, he stopped, took a half step back, and cupped his hands in greeting:

"As I see, this wound is not new, but old."

Su Li said calmly, "Go on."

Bai Xuanxin lowered his head, not daring to feign profundity, and simply stated what he had discerned in his mind:

"It must have been during a hard fight last year that my left shoulder took a full forceful blow, which loosened the tendons on the inside of my scapula. Although I used medicinal wine and blood-activating substances to repeatedly push it open, and the outer tendons and bones seemed to have healed, the thinnest layer inside still couldn't receive the force smoothly. Normally, it doesn't show up when I strike, but once I try to control the force very finely and then send it forward along that line, my left shoulder will be slightly unsupported."

He paused slightly, then added:

"If I am not mistaken, Master, when you practice in recent years, your left shoulder should be slightly pulled back half an inch compared to your right shoulder. In this way, although it can protect the injured area in the short term, over time, the force exerted on the entire spine and under the ribs will be pulled off course. On the surface, it is a shoulder injury, but in fact, the chest and back are also affected."

Su Li finally looked up at him this time.

There wasn't much emotion in that glance, but Bai Xuanxin knew she had seen the right person.

Su Li remained silent for a moment before saying:

"Is it solvable?"

Bai Xuanxin didn't presume, and still kept her head down as she replied:

"As for eradicating it completely, I dare not presume. This injury has been suppressed for too long, and the tendons and bones have become entrenched in the old patterns. It is almost impossible to reverse it in one day. However, if we can only prevent it from causing trouble from time to time, there is a way to try."

"speak."

"Yes."

Bai Xuanxin responded and then slowly continued:

"First, it's no longer advisable to use ordinary blood-activating wine to vigorously massage the area. That kind of medicine is useful for new injuries, but for this kind of old injury, it only loosens the surface and disperses the inside. After loosening it, the area behind the shoulder will become even weaker. Second, the medicine applied before and after the medicinal pool should be changed. The worst thing for this injury is to loosen it first and then disperse it. You should first use bone-sinking and tendon-strengthening methods to support the inside, and then use warm and unblocking substances to slowly open it up. Third..."

He then raised his hand to demonstrate a stance similar to standing meditation, still using respectful language:

"In my humble opinion, Master, your left shoulder is pulled back too tightly when you practice stance training. If you keep protecting it like this, the old injury will only be suppressed and will never be relieved. If you want to ease it, the pulling and releasing of the shoulder and back line needs to be changed."

Su Li looked at him, neither confirming nor denying, and only said:

How do I exchange it?

Bai Xuanxin took a step back and stood in a very stable stance. Then she demonstrated in great detail how to sink and then close the line of her left shoulder, how to prevent the force from piling up on the injured area in advance, and how to let it go around along the spine and ribs.

If these words were spoken to others, they would most likely seem mysterious and absurd.

But Su Li is no stranger.

He only listened for a few sentences before getting up and slowly walking around as Bai Xuanxin had instructed.

On the first viewing, it wasn't very noticeable.

On the second try, the slightest stiffness in my left shoulder had already eased by half.

By the third time, even Su Li himself had a faint glint of surprise in his eyes.

This is not a cure.

But it does work.

Moreover, it wasn't just a superficial "comfort," but rather a gentle touch that had been a knot he'd been unable to untangle for years.

Su Li stopped his attack, paused for a moment, and then looked at Bai Xuanxin.

This look was completely different from when I examined the bones in the backyard a few days ago.

At that time, we were looking at the "material".

What we see now is no longer just timber.

"Your medical skills aren't meant to be used to treat ordinary injuries," Su Li said.

Bai Xuanxin dared not accept the heavy gift, but still respectfully said:

"I have simply read a few more books on medicine than others, and I happen to be willing to delve into the details of the body's structure. I dare not accept such praise from my master."

Su Li didn't respond to that, but turned around and took a small wooden box from the table, placing it in front of him.

"Starting tomorrow, move the medicine pool in the side hall half a floor further in."

"There are three pills in this box. Take one every three days. See if your body can handle it first."

Bai Xuanxin accepted it with both hands, bowing her head and saying:

"Disciple thanks Master."

Even before the wooden box was opened, the medicinal aroma was already faintly emanating from it.

Unlike what he had obtained before, the medicine in this box was no longer just for nourishing bones and muscles and replenishing energy; it clearly had an additional layer of meaning: nourishing essence and replenishing the root of life. Bai Xuanxin's heart stirred, and he knew that the "Essence Nourishing Pill" had truly revealed itself at this point.

More importantly, what this box of medicine represents.

Su Li's attitude towards him now is no longer just "this disciple is worth considering".

Instead, they started focusing on "materials that can be improved".

Bai Xuanxin understood very well that the sect was not a charity place. If you were useless, even the best talent would only be for show; but once you were deemed to have the potential to become a useful person, resources, medicinal pools, cultivation techniques, and even deeper paths would all come down on you one by one.

And that's exactly what he needs most right now.

Not for prestige, not for fame, but simply to push themselves up a little further.

When I stepped out of the cabin, dusk had already fallen.

Bai Xuanxin did not return to the back mountain, but went to the medicine pool first.

This time, the pool water was darker and heavier than before. As soon as the medicinal aroma entered his nose, he felt his bones tighten slightly. He had only been in the pool for a short while when he felt the medicinal effect no longer just swirling around his muscles and bones, but rather penetrating deeper and deeper along the ligaments, joint capsules, and the finest meridians, as if it were specifically targeting the "correct posture" he had recently established.

This feeling is not comfortable.

It was even harder to endure than before.

But Bai Xuanxin's heart was extremely calm.

Because he could clearly feel that this time, when he went down into the medicinal pool, his original strength, which was "fast but not deep enough," was being gradually compressed.

The steps are no longer just slippery.

Hands are no longer just for dismantling.

When the deep force in the medicinal pool pressed down into his bones along with the root technique, Bai Xuanxin even felt for the first time when he tested his stance after emerging from the water that he was not "borrowing" the opponent's momentum, but that he could truly absorb that half-line force first, and then, along with the large frame he had erected, crush it away.

This is the first layer of "pressure".

It is also a top-notch place for truly bone-setting.

Three days later, when Bai Xuanxin walked the "Luoyan Step" again in the forest behind the mountain, he seemed to have shortened by an inch—not that he had become shorter, but that the things that had been scattered and floating outside had finally been drawn back into his bones.

The steps remained elusive.

But the deception has already been concealed.

Between rises and falls, it is no longer just "slipping", but has begun to "support".

Bai Xuanxin knew that with this step, she had finally truly stood on the edge of the first-rate level.

It's not a surge.

It's not a sudden realization.

Instead, it was forced up layer by layer by the medicinal pool, the root method, the treatment of old injuries, and repeated suffering.

It was at this moment that he picked up the thread from Shenshou Valley again.

During this period, the sect kept increasing the pressure, and Su Li began to truly suppress him, so he naturally couldn't keep wandering into the valley every few days. But he never forgot the path he had trodden out when he bought medicine.

Old pine.

Crossbeam.

Sloping eaves.

Three points interchanged.

Medicine smoke blocks.

In the evening, the fire was changed to that half-eaten, short-lived blind man.

He had gone through these thoughts countless times in the past few nights. Now, with his martial arts skills and agility improved to a new level, he finally felt that he could try to take another half step forward.

That night, he did not take the proper route.

Instead, they took advantage of the time when the sky was just darkening, the wind was blowing fiercely outside the valley, and the medicinal smoke was at its thickest, and slowly made their way to the back of Shenshou Valley from the side slope they had traversed before.

The bird is still there.

But now, when Bai Xuanxin looks at those three eye positions again, he no longer just "remembers the location" as before. Instead, he has connected them into a picture in his mind, including the speed of their follow-up glances, the intervals between their rises and falls, and the angles at which they turn around.

He lay prone behind the rocks on the slope, waiting for the gray shadow to sweep from the old pine tree toward the crossbeam. Then, he sank down with the wind and smoke, like a shadow swallowed by the night, and very lightly cut into the wall.

This time, it's even deeper than last time.

It's not much deeper.

But that was enough for him to truly see what the place that should have turned into a bloodbath that night really looked like.

The stone house is not a single room.

The front room, the side pharmacy, and the back room are separated by a very short passageway. There are two rows of medicine shelves in front of the house. On the left are water vats and old mortars, while on the right are piles of semi-dried firewood and several sealed medicine jars. Behind the house, an old pine tree presses against the wall, and beyond the stone wall are boulders and low bushes. If one really wanted to retreat, that place would be faster and more dangerous than the main road at the mouth of the valley.

Bai Xuanxin lay prone in the shadows, her gaze steady as she looked down inch by inch.

Where can I hide?

Where can we leverage existing momentum to get started?

If Qu Hun attacks Han Li first, I can cut in from the side.

If Ruo Mojuren were to dodge outside first, then from what angle should I strike first?

All of these things were just mental constructs built from memory and deduction. Tonight, those mental constructs have finally taken shape.

Bai Xuanxin was not greedy.

He simply memorized the most critical locations—the medicine shelf in front of the house, the short corridor, the water tank, the side room, and the back wall—and then, taking advantage of the thickest second wave of medicinal smoke, retreated along the same route.

He only managed to exhale slowly when he retreated back to the rocky side of the slope.

This time, it really worked.

From now on, that night in Shenshou Valley will no longer be just a disaster he "knew would happen," but a situation he has personally measured, trodden, and carefully considered, even his hiding place and first steps.

The wind blew in from the valley entrance, carrying medicinal smoke, pine resin, and a lingering bitter smell.

Bai Xuanxin stood in the night, her eyes utterly still, as still as a pool of water pressed to the bottom of a deep well.

On this side of the gate, the frame was already set up, the medicinal pool was deeper, and Su Li began to press herself down on him.

On the other side of the valley, the bird paths were clearer, the terrain was familiar, and even the hiding places and entry points had been confirmed one by one.

Only at this moment did he truly feel an extremely cold yet extremely steady sensation—

That night in God's Hand Valley was no longer just a calamity awaiting him.

It slowly began to turn into a picture.

A diagram that he can dissect, thoroughly analyze, and ultimately truly penetrate.